1._I say then, etc. _What he has hitherto said of the blindness and obstinacy of the Jews, might seem to import that Christ at his coming had transferred elsewhere the promises of God, and deprived the Jews of every hope of salvation. This objection is what he anticipates in this passage, and he so... [ Continue Reading ]
2._God has not cast away, etc. _This is a negative answer, accompanied with a qualifying clause; for had the Apostle unreservedly denied that the people were rejected, he would have been inconsistent with himself; but by adding a modification, he shows it to be such a rejection, as that God’s promis... [ Continue Reading ]
6._If through grace, it is no more by works, etc. _This amplification is derived from a comparison between things of an opposite character; for such is the _case _between God’s grace and the merit of works, that he who establishes the one overturns the other. But if no regard to works can be admitte... [ Continue Reading ]
7._What then? What Israel seeks, etc. _As he is here engaged on a difficult subject, he asks a question, as though he was in doubt. He intended, however, by expressing this doubt, to render the answer, which immediately follows, more evident; for he intimates, that no other can be given; and the ans... [ Continue Reading ]
8._Given them has God, etc. _There is no doubt, I think, but that the passage quoted here from Isaiah is that which Luke refers to in Acts 28:26, as quoted from him, only the words are somewhat altered. Nor does he record here what we find in the Prophet, but only collects from him this sentiment, —... [ Continue Reading ]
9._And David says, etc. _In this testimony of David there is also made some change in the words, but it is not what changes the meaning. For he thus speaks, “Let their table before them become a snare, and their peaceful things a trap;” there is no mention of retribution. As to the main point there... [ Continue Reading ]
11._Have they stumbled, etc. _You will be greatly hindered in understanding this argument, except you take notice, that the Apostle speaks sometimes of the whole nation of the Jews, and sometimes of single individuals; for hence arises the diversity, that onewhile he speaks of the Jews as being bani... [ Continue Reading ]
12._And if their fall, etc. _As he had taught us that after the Jews were repudiated, the Gentiles were introduced in their place, that he might not make the salvation of the Jews to be disliked by the Gentiles, as though their salvation depended on the ruin of the Jews, he anticipates this false no... [ Continue Reading ]
13._For to you Gentiles I speak, etc. _He confirms by a strong reason, that nothing shall be lost by the Gentiles, were the Jews to return again to favor with God; for he shows, that the salvation of both is so connected, that it can by the same means be promoted. For he thus addresses the Gentiles,... [ Continue Reading ]
14._And save, etc. _Observe here that the minister of the word is said in some way to save those whom he leads to the obedience of faith. So conducted indeed ought to be the ministry of our salvation, as that we may feel that the whole power and efficacy of it depends on God, and that we may give hi... [ Continue Reading ]
15._For if their rejections, etc. _This passage, which many deem obscure, and some awfully pervert, ought, in my view, to be understood as another argument, derived from a comparison of the less with the greater, according to this import, “Since the rejection of the Jews has availed so much as to oc... [ Continue Reading ]
16._For if the first-fruits, etc. _By comparing the worthiness of the Jews and of the Gentiles, he now takes away pride from the one and pacifies the other, as far as he could; for he shows that the Gentiles, if they pretended any prerogative of honor of their own, did in no respect excel the Jews,... [ Continue Reading ]
17._And if some of the branches, etc. _He now refers to the present dignity of the Gentiles, which is no other than to be of the branches; which, being taken from another, are set in some noble tree: for the origin of the Gentiles was as it were from some wild and unfruitful olive, as nothing but a... [ Continue Reading ]
18._But if thou gloriest, thou bearest not the root, etc. _The Gentiles could not contend with the Jews respecting the excellency of their race without contending with Abraham himself; which would have been extremely unbecoming, since he was like a root by which they were borne and nourished. As unr... [ Continue Reading ]
19._Thou wilt then say, etc. _In the person of the Gentiles he brings forward what they might have pleaded for themselves; but that was of such a nature as ought not to have filled them with pride, but, on the contrary, to have made them humble. For if the cutting off of the Jews was through unbelie... [ Continue Reading ]
21._For if God has not spared the natural branches, etc. _This is a most powerful reason to beat down all self-confidence: for the rejection of the Jews should never come across our minds without striking and shaking us with dread. For what ruined them, but that through supine dependence on the dign... [ Continue Reading ]
22._See then, etc. _By laying the case before their eyes he more clearly and fully confirms the fact, — that the Gentiles had no reason to be proud. They saw in the Jews an example of God’s severity, which ought to have terrified them; while in themselves they had an evidence of his grace and goodne... [ Continue Reading ]
23._For God is able, etc_. Frigid would this argument be to the profane; for however they may concede power to God, yet as they view it at a distance, shut up as it were in heaven, they do for the most part rob it of its effect. But as the faithful, whenever they hear God’s power named, look on it a... [ Continue Reading ]
25._I would not, etc. _Here he rouses his hearers to a greater attention, while he avows that he is going to declare something that was secret. Nor did he do this without reason; for he wished to conclude, by a brief or plain sentence, a very perplexed question; and yet he declares what no one could... [ Continue Reading ]
26._And so all Israel, etc. _Many understand this of the Jewish people, as though Paul had said, that religion would again be restored among them as before: but I extend the word _Israel _to all the people of God, according to this meaning, — “When the Gentiles shall come in, the Jews also shall ret... [ Continue Reading ]
27._And, this is my covenant with them, etc. _Though Paul, by the last prophecy of Isaiah, briefly touched on the office of the Messiah, in order to remind the Jews what was to be expected especially from him, he further adds these few words from Jeremiah, expressly for the same purpose; for what is... [ Continue Reading ]
28._With regard indeed to the gospel, etc. _He shows that the worst thing in the Jews ought not to subject them to the contempt of the Gentiles. Their chief crime was unbelief: but Paul teaches us, that they were thus blinded for a time by God’s providence, that a way to the gospel might be made for... [ Continue Reading ]
29._The gifts and calling of God are without repentance. _He has mentioned gifts and calling; which are to be understood, according to a figure in grammar, (369) as meaning the gift of calling: and this is not to be taken for any sort of calling but of that, by which God had adopted the posterity of... [ Continue Reading ]
32._For God has shut up, etc. _A remarkable conclusion, by which he shows that there is no reason why they who have a hope of salvation should despair of others; for whatever they may now be, they have been like all the rest. If they have emerged from unbelief through God’s mercy alone, they ought t... [ Continue Reading ]
33._Oh! the depth, etc. _Here first the Apostle bursts into an exclamation, which arose spontaneously from a devout consideration of God’s dealings with the faithful; then in passing he checks the boldness of impiety, which is wont to clamor against the judgments of God. When therefore we hear, _Oh!... [ Continue Reading ]
34._Who has known the mind of the Lord? _He begins here to extend as it were his hand to restrain the audacity of men, lest they should clamor against God’s judgments, and this he does by stating two reasons: the first is, that all mortals are too blind to take a view of God’s predestination by thei... [ Continue Reading ]
35._Who has first given to him, etc. _Another reason, by which God’s righteousness is most effectually defended against all the accusations of the ungodly: for if no one retains him bound to himself by his own merits, no one can justly expostulate with him for not having received his reward; as he,... [ Continue Reading ]
36._For from him and through him, etc. _A confirmation of the last verse. He shows, that it is very far from being the case, that we can glory in any good thing of our own against God, since we have been created by him from nothing, and now exist through him. He hence infers, that our being should b... [ Continue Reading ]